Tonye Patano

Follow Tonye Patano

Tonye Patano

Date Of Birth

Biography

Tonye Patano is an African-American actress who first appeared in minor roles on TV shows like Law & Order, Sex and the City, Monk and Third Watch, before landing her breakthrough role as Heylia James, a matriarchal marijuana dealer on the Showtime series Weeds.

After building a name for herself on cable TV from 2005 to 2008, Patano shifted her focus on the silver screen as she was cast The Taking of Pelham 123 and Come What May. Simultaneously, she was offered the part of Phylicia Evans, the mother of Shaun Evans, Greg Evans and Destiny Evans on the soap opera One Life to Live.

Patano, who was also part of the original cast of the Broadway play 45 Seconds by Neil Simon, is also credited for movie such as The Company Men, Ponies and The David Dance, The Great New Wonderful, Little Manhattan, and The Savages.